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Name is Tim. Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I'm sure you'll be getting a detailed response from the pros here shortly about what the next steps to take are. I'm going to defer to them because they have a lot more experience with providing this type of guidance on these forums than I. Meantime, know that you're not alone. Plenty of others, myself included, have been right where you are now. My own CD 4 count was somewhere below 89 when I started taking medicines. There's work ahead, but you can do it. Feel free to PM me if you wish.

So sorry to hear about your diagnosis. When my hubby was diagnosed in May he had a CD4 of 85. A couple of weeks later he was in the hospital with meningitis. He started his meds right away and now has a CD4 of 197 and his Vl is <75. He is taking his meds and doing great now.

I don't have any knowledge of PCP so I cant offer ya any advice on that. Just hang in there. Take alot of deep breaths. OK you know that you are HIV+ and now you can start kicking some HIV ass!

You have come to the right place. There is a wealth of information and alot of great people here.WELCOME

Tell us more about yourself if you will. What's your doctor saying about meds, etc.?

What may seem overwhelming and unmanageable to you right now can with care and attention gradually subside into into being a part of your life. You need some time for that to happen and for you and your doctor to develop a good working partnership to keep you well.

You're always welcome here to talk about anything that's on your mind and to ask questions.

Hi, I too have had a CD4 of 24 and a CD4 of 87 on two different occasions, this last one with PCP, it is a tough one but hang in there! I am guessing that you are out of the hospital (if you were in) and so you are already on the mend. I know that the idea of taking the medicines can be scary, but not scarier than PCP right? They are actually a life saver, so just hang in there and things will greatly improve in awhile. Feel free to contact me, I just came out of the hospital after having PCP 2 months ago so I can empathise ( it was due to a treatment interruption and my CD4 dropping too low). I have been positive for 13 years. It must be hard to be unwell and find out that you are positive at the same time. Just know that although it may be hard to imagine now, life can still be wonderful, and get as much information, help and support you can. This is a good place to start! Best wishes to you, Suzie

I tested poz and found out my CD4 count was 78 within about two weeks time. Was rough, really rough. After 3 months of treatment, my CD4s were up to 216, and things are really looking up. I will hit the 6 month mark in Dec - hoping for another rise in CD4s.

As others have said - HANG IN THERE. There truly is light at the end of this tunnel - you will get great inspiration from the people here, and great information. This is the ONLY site that provides the facts, treatment news and inspiration in a single package - read on and move forward!!

hang in there bud, i know how you are feeling. i was hospitalized in mid june with pcp with a cd4 of 5 and a viral load of 300,000. i know pcp can be a very rough and devastating thing to deal with but hang in there and it will get better. shortly after i was diagnosed with pcp i was also diagnosed with cmv retinitis. it may take some time to figure out a good combo of drugs that will work for you, but do not let that discourage you. this first combo i tried did nothing for me (truvada & viramune). my doc then switched me to truvada, norvir, & reyataz and in less than 2 months my vl has gone undetectable & my cd4 has risen to 65. there is some light at the end of the tunnel. if you need to talk about naything feel free to email or message on here. take care & keep your head up

Man, can I relate - left the hospital 1 month ago with PCP and thrush and at the same time diagnosed with AIDS. My CD4 count was 24 and my viral load was over 650,000! I almost died from the PCP cause I did go into pulmonay arrest. Scary...there are no words to describe the fear BUT there is HOPE. I am taking my meds, changed my diet and am exercising regularly(which I should have done a long time ago!!!). Today I feel good...I see my MD for follow up next week. The support these forums give has no price. The feeling that we are not alone anymore is beautful. I am no longer scared.

It is unfortunate that you have tested positive for HIV. However, you made an important step in finding out about HIV and educating yourself with it. You will want to locate a good Doctor through your local ASO and have all of your vitals reviewed by him/her. You will want to know where you stand with your health. In fact, by knowing this you can take action with your health.

I wish to extend to you a WARM WELCOME here at the AM forums. Here you will find the encouragement, communication, understanding, support, some cries, some laughter, and many of your questions relating to HIV/AIDS answered.

We have a great group of Real People who will listen as well as answer you. We are here to encourage one another and to learn from each other.

With the consideration of implementing a Positive Mental Attitude, it will also assist you on your journey in this life as well as having a Positive Impact on your immune system.

In fact, through your Positive Mental Attitude, it will help you push forward through all of the obstacles on your path that you are now walking on.

Talking to other people helps us see that we are not the only ones with problems. Feel free to come and vent with whatever is on your mind from time-to-time.

Often the act of writing and the ability to “see” your feelings leads to therapeutic insights and solutions. .

In the interim, you may want to start taking a multi-vitamin, Omega 3 and you may want to keep an eye on your diet.

Hey I hope you are feeling a bit better. I was diagnosed with aids on 11/20/06 and yes, I had pcp. My t cells are at 97 and viral at 23000. I have not started meds due to liver complications. However there are lots of people here who were once in our boat and are doing much better now.